| 1. |
- Collin, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
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Constitutive expression of the antibacterial CXC chemokine GCP-2/CXCL6 by epithelial cells of the male reproductive tract.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-7603 .- 0165-0378. ; 79, s. 37-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The reproductive tract is continuously challenged by potential pathogens present in the environment. Therefore, robust host defense mechanisms are essential both for the health of the individual and for fertilization. Antibiotic innate immunity peptides possess broad antimicrobial activity. Recently, we found that the CXC chemokine, granulocyte chemotactic protein (GCP)-2/CXCL6, possesses antibacterial activity. In the present study, we investigated, therefore, the presence of GCP-2/CXCL6 in the human male reproductive system. GCP-2/CXCL6 was detected at 19nM (mean; range: 5-47nM; n=14) in seminal plasma of fertile donors, i.e. at levels more than 100 times higher than those previously reported for the related chemokine IL-8/CXCL8. No GCP-2/CXCL6 could be detected in blood plasma of healthy donors, indicating local production in the male reproductive tract. In vasectomized donors, significantly lower levels of GCP-2/CXCL6 were found (mean: 3nM; range 2-7nM; n=7), demonstrating that the testis and epididymis contribute significantly to the GCP-2/CXCL6 content of seminal plasma. Strong expression of GCP-2/CXCL6 was found in the epithelium of the testis, epididymis and seminal vesicles, while the prostate epithelium showed weak expression, as determined by immunohistochemistry. A biological function is suggested, viz. at concentrations of the order of those found in seminal plasma, GCP-2/CXCL6 has antibacterial activity against the urogenital pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. GCP-2/CXCL6 in seminal plasma may play roles in both host defense of the male urogenital tract and during fertilization.
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| 2. |
- Cunningham, Kelly A, et al.
(författare)
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CTA1-DD is an effective adjuvant for targeting anti-chlamydial immunity to the murine genital mucosa.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of reproductive immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-7603 .- 0165-0378. ; 81:1, s. 34-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chlamydia trachomatis is a significant human pathogen with potentially severe disease sequelae in the genital tract, including infertility. A successful vaccine will need to effectively target immunity to the genital mucosa. Intranasal immunisation with cholera toxin (CT) can target immunity to the genital tract, but has the potential to cause neurological side effects. CTA1-DD is a non-toxic potent mucosal adjuvant which combines the enzymatic properties of CT, with a B cell targeting moiety. Here, we demonstrate that intranasal immunisation with CTA1-DD and chlamydial Major Outer Membrane Protein (MOMP) results in the induction of neutralising systemic and mucosal antibodies, and reduces the level of chlamydial shedding following intravaginal challenge with Chlamydia muridarum. Thus, CTA1-DD is an effective adjuvant for vaccine development against Chlamydia trachomatis, and possibly also a range of other genital pathogens.
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| 3. |
- Gustafsson (Lidström), Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Cytokine secretion in decidual mononuclear cells from term human pregnancy with or without labour : ELISPOT detection of IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-beta and TNF-alpha
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of reproductive immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-0378. ; 71:1, s. 41-56
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cytokines are believed to be important in maintaining pregnancy and in the process of labour induction in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the secretion of the cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in decidual tissue with or without labour. Decidual tissue was collected from 32 healthy women undergoing elective caesarean sections before the onset of labour (n = 17) or after normal vaginal delivery (n = 15). Mononuclear cells were analysed for cytokine secretion with ELISPOT. To validate the widely used method of tissue collected at caesarean sections and after vaginal deliveries as a representative of before and after labour, respectively, placenta biopsies were collected from 12 healthy women to study the expression of the prostaglandin pathway enzymes cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase (mPGES). Decidual mononuclear cells from term human pregnancy spontaneously secrete IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β and TNF-α. No difference was seen in cytokine secretion with or without labour, indicating that decidual leukocytes are not the main cell population responsible for plausible cytokine regulation in the process of termination of pregnancy. Placental tissues obtained after vaginal delivery showed a higher mRNA expression of the prostaglandin regulating molecules COX-2 and mPGES than tissues from caesarean sections before the onset of labour, validating that the model can be used as a representative of the state before and after labour.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Jonsson, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Cytokine mapping of sera from women with preeclampsia and from women with normal pregnancies
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-0378. ; 70:1-2, s. 83-91
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific syndrome. The immune system in preeclampsia is changed with an increased innate activity and there is a hypothesis of a shift towards Th1-type immunity. The aim of this study was to determine a spectrum of soluble immunological factors denoting different aspects of immune activation in third trimester sera from women with preeclampsia (N = 15) and compare with levels in sera from normal pregnant women (N = 15). Material and methods IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 p40, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, IFN-α, IFN-γ, TNF-α, GM-CSF, MIP-lα, MIP-1β, MCP-1, eotaxin and RANTES were measured in serum using multiplex bead arrays. The levels of soluble CD14 and soluble IL-4 receptor were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Results Preeclamptic women had significantly increased levels of circulating IL-6 (p = 0.002), IL-8 (p = 0.003) and soluble IL-4R (p = 0.037), compared to women with normal pregnancies. Conclusion This study supports the hypothesis of increased inflammatory responses in preeclampsia, illustrated by the increased levels of IL-6 and IL-8. The finding of increased levels of soluble IL-4 receptor is an intriguing finding with several interpretations, which may partly support the hypothesis of a Th1 shift in preeclampsia.
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| 6. |
- Jonsson, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Indications of an altered immune balance in preeclampsia : A decrease in in vitro secretion of IL-5 and IL-10 from blood mononuclear cells and in blood basophil counts compared with normal pregnancy
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-0378. ; 66:1, s. 69-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It has been suggested that maladaptation of the maternal immune response during pregnancy might be a causal factor for preeclampsia. This study was designed to examine the systemic immune status at both the innate level and the adaptive level in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia (n = 15) and normal pregnancies (n = 15). Spontaneous and in vitro-induced secretion of IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13 and TNF-α, in response to paternal blood cells and the vaccination antigens purified protein derivate of tuberculin (PPD) and tetanus toxoid (TT), was detected in cell culture supernatants from blood mononuclear cells by ELISA. Preeclamptic women showed reduced numbers of basophil granulocytes in the blood (p = 0.004) and lower spontaneous secretion of IL-5 from blood mononuclear cells (p = 0.016). In addition, paternal antigen-induced secretion of IL-10 was decreased in preeclampsia compared with normal pregnancy (p = 0.012). No further differences between preeclampsia and normal pregnancy were found for any stimuli or cytokines. The present findings of reduced basophil numbers and lower spontaneous in vitro secretion of IL-5 in preeclampsia compared with normal pregnancy indicate a decrease in systemic Th2 immunity in preeclampsia. Furthermore, the decrease in paternal antigen-induced secretion of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10 in preeclampsia indicates a fetus-specific decrease in immunosuppression mediated by blood mononuclear cells. Whether these systemic changes are a cause or a consequence of preeclampsia remains to be elucidated.
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| 7. |
- Lindgren, Ida, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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It takes three points to define a common ground : breathing apparatus fire-fighters' communication during rescue operations
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of pragmatics : an interdisciplinary quarterly of language studies. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-2516. ; 39:9, s. 1482-1502
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper compares two styles of communication used by fire-fighters during breathing apparatus (BA) rescue operations. BA rescue is a risky business and while performing a BA rescue operation, effective communication is essential for the operation to be successful. This communication involves information sharing, coordination, safety, and so on. How this communication is supposed to be carried out is not regulated. To study the establishment and maintenance of common ground between fire-fighters, communication in two pairs of BA fire-fighters was analyzed. One pair did well, while the other performed less successfully. The pair that performed better communicated using a three-step procedure: step I was an informative utterance by speaker A; step II was a confirmation by speaker B of step I; and step III was an acknowledgment by speaker A of B's confirmation. The less successful pair seldom communicated using more than two steps.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Mjösberg, Jenny, et al.
(författare)
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Systemic reduction of functionally suppressive CD4dimCD25highFoxp3+ T-regs in human second trimester pregnancy is induced by progesterone and 17 beta-estradiol
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Reproductive Immunology(ISSN 0165-0378), vol 81, issue 2. - : Elsevier BV. ; , s. 160-161
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- CD4+CD25high regulatory T cells (Tregs) are implicated in maintenance of murine pregnancy. However, reports regarding circulating Treg frequencies in human pregnancy are inconsistent and the functionality and phenotype of these cells in pregnancy have not been clarified. The aim was to determine the frequency, phenotype and function of circulating Tregs in second trimester human pregnancy and the influence of progesterone and 17β-estradiol on Treg phenotype and frequency. Based on expression of Foxp3, CD127 and HLA-DR, as determined by multi-color flow cytometry, we defined a proper CD4dimCD25high Treg population and showed, in contrast to most previous reports, that this population was reduced in second trimester pregnancy. Unexpectedly, Foxp3 expression was decreased in the Treg, as well as in the CD4+ population. These changes could be replicated in an in vitro system resembling the pregnancy hormonal milieu, where 17β-estradiol, and in particular progesterone, induced, in line with the pregnancy situation, a reduction of CD4dimCD25highFoxp3+ cells in PBMC from non-pregnant women. By co-culturing FACS-sorted Tregs and autologous CD4+CD25- responder cells, we showed that Tregs from pregnant women still displayed the same suppressive capacity as non-pregnant women in terms of suppressing IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ secretion from responder cells while efficiently producing IL-4 and IL-10. Our findings support the view of hormones, particularly progesterone, as critical regulators of Tregs in pregnancy. Further, we suggest that in the light of the results of this study, early data on circulating Treg frequencies in pregnancy need re-evaluation.
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